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Fujio Pro
Fujio Productions, Ltd. aka''' Fujio Pro is a company founded in 1965 by Fujio Akatsuka, as a production hub for him and his assistants. It is currently headed by his daughter Rieko Akatsuka. History Initially, Akatsuka had his wife Tomoko and his fellow former Tokiwa-so tenant Takao Yokoyama helping him out with his manga. But as manuscripts for manga became more of a challenge to complete, an artist he had met through the "Great East Japan Manga Study Group" named Kenichiro Takai had offered to co-author Osomatsu-kun with him. Takai would become influential in the overall process, creating characters such as Iyami, Dekapan, Dayōn, and Hatabō. In 1963, Akatsuka and Tomoko, Joji Yamauchi, Yokoyama, and Takai would join the authors Kunio Nagatani, and Tokuo Yokota as "The Seven Lucky Gods", attempting to work as a group in a shared apartment. But due to the poor conditions of the multi-tenant building (including a bedbug outbreak), and there being no place to sleep, it would dissolve a year later. Yokoyama, Takai, and Nagatani would find another workplace, and would be joined by Kenichi Kitami and Mitsutoshi Furuya. They would form the base for Fujio Pro, which would be established the following year. Comic Creation Process The presence of Akatsuka's staff enabled a quick production of each manuscript for a magazine and an "idea meeting" with his editor and assistants that would eventually result in the finished product. Akatsuka would come up with the "name" (the rough draft) where he would write out the dialogue, and draw in panels as well as the rough sketches of the characters (also known as the "atari"). An assistant would then do the completed drawings and inking of the manga, as well as any other details. After the manuscript was completed, Akatsuka would then move on to the next project. A 13-page work could take as long as 9 hours, with the first 2 spent for the dialogue and panels, 4 for the rough sketch, and the final 3 for the art and inking by the assistants. The other members of this staff would also serve as writers themselves, ghostwriting scripts when Akatsuka was unavailable to, and several would branch off into their own careers. As there were general character design patterns that Akatsuka had favored, he would direct the assistants on what type of people they should draw; at times drawing a rough sketch which they would then interpret, and that he would modify some to make it easier. After Kenichiro Takai left for his own career, Akatsuka would design characters on his own; characters like Bakabon's Papa and Nyarome already being more of his typical style. Members This list may not necessarily be complete, but showcases assistants and other company employees where known. * Takao Yokoyama (横山孝雄)- Considered the "No.1" assistant of Akatsuka serving as assistant from his earliest gag works, and would serve as manager at Fujio Pro. His own art style can notably be seen in the covers to the Akebono reprints of manga. He seemed to have an on and off presence at the company, leaving Fujio Pro in 1983. * Kenichiro Takai (高井研一郎)- The chief of drawing and a general collaborator from 1962 until 1968, having helped create several characters for Osomatsu-kun and Extraordinary Ataro. He never sought royalties or extra credit for his contributions, as he had felt it an honor alone to get to work with Akatsuka and help the series become famous. He returned as artist briefly in the 1990s, to assist on [[The Collapse of the Sheeh! Religion|The Collapse of the Sheeh! Religion ]]and Liquor Hermit Dayoon. * Kunio Nagatani (長谷邦夫)- Served as the "brains" and one of the idea men of Fujio Pro, along with being a drawing assistant and general ghostwriter. Out of the original staff, he remained with the company the longest until his departure in the early 1990s. He did not participate in the collaboration for Collapse of the Sheeh! Religion. During his time as part of the company, he authored the series ''The Numbness of Scatan and wrote for the Nyarome learning book series. * Mitsutoshi Furuya (古谷三敏)- Served as a co-writer and drawing assistant until 1974, when he would establish his own company with Keiji Yoshitani. Prior to that, he had already started to branch out with his own manga, '''''No-Good Father (Dame Oyaji) and had co-authored "The Genius Bakabon's Old Man" spinoff of Bakabon. He would also be instrumental in developing the character of Bakabon's Papa further with Akatsuka. In rare instances in the late 1960s, some works that he worked on with Akatsuka would sometimes bear a "Furuya Pro" billing (Dekunobo of the Wilderness, We are 8 Pro). * Kenichi Kitami (北見けんいち) - Joined as an assistant in 1964, and left company for his independent career in 1979. He assisted on the Shonen King Osomatsu-kun series and other works of the time, including being the chief assistant for Gag Guerrilla. Among his works, he is known for The Fishing Fool's Diary. * Nobuhiro Akatsuka- Akatsuka's younger brother, who at some point was also associated with the company around 1970. He is referred to as simply "Akatsuka's little brother" in Fujio Pro illustrations featuring him. * Toshichi Akatsuka- Akatsuka's father, who worked as the accountant for the company up to his death in 1979. * Keiji Yoshitani (芳谷圭児)- A drawing assistant that headed Fujio Pro's graphic novel division from 1969 to 1974. * Kai Takizawa- A writer for some of Fujio Pro's dramatic gag works during the "graphic novel division" years (Mad Dog Trotsky, Inspector Oni, etc.). * Tomoo Kimura (木村 知夫)- Another assistant who worked in tandem with Yoshitani as part of the graphic novel division. It is his style that can be seen in completing the various "reverse drawing collapse" moments in The Genius Bakabon and other titles in the early 1970s, where characters suddenly become realistic or hyper-detailed. He departed from the company in 1974 alongside Yoshitani. * Mitsuyoshi Sonoda- A manga-ka that joined the graphic novel division in 1972 by recommendation of Toshiki Takei. Unfortunately, due to stress over his other existing jobs and the pressure he felt about drawing, he quit Fujio Pro without ever taking part in a single work. * Akira Saito (斉藤あきら)- Drew for various titles in the late 1970s. His style can notably be seen in Kensaku the Architect and in The Great Stupid Detective Kogoro Hakuchi. * Tsutomu Adachi (あだち勉)- Assistant from the early to mid-1970s. Considered another prolific disciple of Akatsuka and one of his "Four Kings", as he was instrumental in the drawing work on The Genius Bakabon ''during that period of time. He would also return on occasion in the 1990s, to assist on ''Collapse of the Sheeh! Religion as well as Liquor Hermit Dayoon. * Yoshiko Tsuchida (土田よしこ)- The first female assistant at Fujio Pro, who worked for a few years before her departure in 1968. * Don Sasaki (佐々木ドン)- Assistant from the late 1960s to 1970s. He took over the series of The Wind of Karappe. * Kazuyoshi Torii (とりいかずよ)- Joined in 1968 and served until 1971, authoring the scatological short of "Dr. Toilet" during his time (which was later spun off to a full non-Fujio Pro work). * Keiji Terashima (寺島敬治)- Served as an assistant from 1970 to 1972. * Jin Kawaguchi (河口仁)- Collaborated with Kunio Nagatani on the TV Magazine version of Bakabon in 1971, as well as the succeeding "Original Genius Bakabon" serialization. Active with the company up until about 1979. * Koji Oikawa (及川こうじ) * Kojo Kiri (キリ光乗) * Yosuke Kondo (近藤洋助) * Mitsunori Shiya (椎屋光則)- Assistant at Fujio Pro from 1973 to 1985, taking on the position of drawing chief during his career. The manga of "Yotsuya 'H'" is based on his and Akatsuka's meeting at the titular bar. * Shohei Kizaki (木崎しょうへい)- Assisted in the early 1970s, though little is known of his time at the company. * Yumi Nakano (なかのゆみ) * Hiroyuki Minami (南ひろゆき) * Shinichi Tokisato (時里信一) * Shuichi Seino (制野秀一)- Assistant in early 1970s, also assisted other manga-ka of the time including Shotaro Ishimori and Jiro Tsunoda. * Makoto Iwasaki (岩崎誠)- Assistant at Fujio Pro from the 1980s to 1996. Contributed some of the art towards the features during this time, and co-authored "Unkoman" with Takayoshi Minematsu for Comic BomBom in its 1992 and 1993 specials. The art credited with the signature "Fujio Pro" in Sheeh! Religion is figured to be of his doing. * Takayoshi Minematsu (峰松孝佳, later alias: Katta Yoshi/吉勝太) - Joined the company as an assistant and chief of drawing in the mid-1980s, before departing around 1995. He co-authored "Unkoman", and produced "Egg Soldier Tamaran" (タマゴ戦士タマラン) for Comic BomBom in 1994. He is considered "the last disciple" due to being the current head artist at Fujio Pro, having drawn all of its media since 2002 after initially returning as a freelancer. * En Yamamura (山村円)- Assistant on Collapse of the Sheeh! Religion. His duration at the company is not known, although he would appear to have departed after 1996. * Masato Kuwahara (桑原正人)- Current chief assistant at Fujio Pro, only notably mentioned in the afterword to the Libre anthology for Osomatsu-san. Official Newsletters Through the mid to late 1960s, Fujio Pro issued official fanclub newsletters in various distinctive forms: * Osomatsu-kun News: May 1965-April 1966. A flyer containing information on the current Akatsuka series being put out in magazines, as well as upcoming features to look forward to. The subscription to this newsletter cost 20 yen at the time, with the first-time fee being 10 yen. * Osomatsu-kun Book: May 1966-April 1967. Successor to the above. A flipbook-styled newsletter containing news and announcements, plus samples of manga by other manga-ka or fan submitted illustrations. The price raised some for this booklet, being 30 yen a month. Among the illustrations and manga inside, this booklet contained the first incarnation of Akatsuka's autobiographical Fujio's Naughty Diary, which would later be revised for the 1970 Fujio Pro New Years' newsletter and seem to be the earliest basis for Fujio's Waru Waru World. * Manga NO.1: August 1967-March 1968. A small booklet containing samples of manga (Fujio Pro and otherwise), illustrations submitted by fans, and other announcements. Not to be confused with the 1968 Shonen appendix by the same title, nor the magazine by Fujio Pro put out from 1972-1973. This booklet cost 60 yen a month, with the first issue fee being 40 yen. Category:People, Pets and Places Category:Fujio Pro